Far Horizons: Tales of Sci-Fi, Fantasy and Horror. Issue #20 November 2015 | Page 32
“Jack fell down and broke his crown.”
The air hummed, the red light darkening into a
bloody scarlet. The wooden doll opened its mouth and
began to croak.
“And Jill came tumbling after.”
The pressure built up in Christopher’s head
released all at once, exploding behind his eyes. He
screamed and forced himself into the bedroom.
Something hissed, Emily or the doll, it didn’t matter
which. He screamed in reply and grabbed the box
from the floor.
Emily cowered in the corner of the room, arms
covering the doll like a mother defending her young.
In disgust, Christopher shoved her small arms away
and pulled the thing from her.
He did not look at her as he left.
He did not feel the needle sharp wooden teeth
clamp down on his hand.
He did not feel Emily’s fists against his back as
he threw the box and the doll in the oven.
He did not hear the thing scream as it burned.
***
Christopher stared at his vibrating phone as it
moved across the table, wondering if he had the guts
to ignore it. He had managed well so far, throwing
himself in work and drink, but he couldn’t ignore her
forever. She was his daughter. Even if she terrified
him. Besides, Claire would only keep calling.
“Hello?” he said, faking a yawn to hide the
tremor in his voice.
“Where the hell have you been, Christopher?”
“Hello, Claire.”
“Do you think it’s funny, hiding from us like
this? Or have you finally realised what a pathetic
father you are. Emily has been making herself sick
thinking about you.”
“I didn’t think she wanted to talk to me.”
“Oh grow up.”
“How is she?” he asked, strangely relieved at
the usual venom in Claire’s tone.
“She’s fine. Why wouldn’t she be?”
“You saw what she was like that morning you
picked her up.”
“She was ill. She had a fever, and she was
upset. She’s seven years old, Christopher, what do you
expect?”
“Is she... happy?”
Claire sighed down the phone, the sound
crackling in his ear.
“Of course she is. Look, I’ll admit that when
she came home she was a bit upset, but she thought
you’d burned her doll. As soon as you sent it back to
her she was completely herself again.”
Christopher felt the phone drop from his hand
but could do nothing to stop it.
Claire’s voice buzzed from the table, where the
phone lay like a black smudge in his fading vision.
“Look, why don’t you come visit us? Emily
says she’d love to see you and she says that Jack wants
to say hello too, isn’t that sweet? He must want to say
thank you for sending him home.”
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